Airplane food. Though often the butt of many an unfortunate joke, this scoffed-at cuisine stands alone in my mind, not because of its flavor or its lack thereof, but because of its sentimental value. That chewy, cardboardesque croissant, those ice-cold dinner rolls, the oh-so-yummy mystery meat— all new to me. Believe it or not, airplane food was the first among a series of firsts that spanned my trip to France, and for this reason it will remain etched in my memory like the grooves of a coin.
With bellies full of microwavable chicken, oddly colored salad and God knows what else, my family and I embarked on our journey.
â–º SEMI FINALIST 2012 TEEN TRAVEL WRITING SCHOLARSHIP
And by “journey,” I mean our small yet hectic trek to Paris. Imagine a family of four—all of whom dazed from both jet lag and one-too-many melatonin —wandering confusedly through the metros, their over-sized luggage dragging at their feet. As comical an image as this may seem, let’s fast forward. Our destination, Paris, was not what I expected, though this was not necessarily a bad thing. In movies, on TV, even on those crisp and vibrant postcards, all you see is the good. The flowers and the architecture and the beautiful young couples. But, as is the case in all cities, darkness lurks about like a cat on padded paws. Litter, rain, poverty—you name it. However, these less-than-idyllic characteristics of Paris simply added to its realness, to the experience, and although my once-lofty vision of the city was tarnished by these things, a new, slightly-less-perfect Paris lay waiting to be explored.
Of course, we visited the city’s hot-ticket tourist venues, whether it be Le Tour Eiffel, Notre Dame or L’Arc de Triomphe. And while yes, they were in fact beautifully beautiful, marvelously marvelous, and wonderfully wonderful, I found that the most amazing spectacles were engrained in the culture itself. Take, for example, the courtyards: On just about every street corner, we found a small yet eclectic green space, complete with both foliage and benches. If you wanted to simply grab food to go— whether it be street falafel from Le Marais or Pain au Chocolat from Rue de Rennes—you could find somewhere to sit, relax, and chow down, if only for a short while.
Just as with the courtyards, other aspects of Parisian life surprised me in the most pleasant sense of the word. The strong European coffee, those teeny little cars, the abundance of attractive, well-dressed men. It was all so very new, yet so very real and vivid and bright. I found myself less enchanted with the tourist sites and increasingly awestruck by the cafés and the flowers and those little details that we, as travelers, often overlook. Even though the trip was relatively recent, I find that with each passing day, images of Sacré Coeur and Notre Dame fade from my mind like ink from an old, forgotten manuscript— easily and without remorse. On the contrary, certain memories—from our trip to a local market to our mastering of the metro—are as clear as day. Permanent. That being said, I have one piece of advice, and it has nothing to do with airplane food, mind you: Enjoy traveling. Do not rush from site to site, viewing everything through the faulty guise of a camera lens. Soak in the details, however minor they may seem, and try to—as that old cliché so simply states—take time to smell the roses.
Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.
0 Replies to “Smell the Roses”
Comment on this article
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
What an amazing blog, I enjoy reading
Bringing to you the most unique holidays covering the most beautiful parts of Himachal. Tirthan: Located in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, Tirthan Valley derives its name from the Tirthan river, which winds its way through it. Tirthan Valley is one of the less-visited places which makes it more beautiful and peaceful. The natural beauty of the place is alluring enough, it gives you an offbeat destination taste without bringing you to a remote area. Some of the highlights of the trek include beautiful meadows with flowers in full bloom, glaciers feeding into the Tirthan Valley, and the views of the higher snow-clad ranges
here is a very beautiful destination in India where you want to travel with zenithholidays – tour & travel company
Awesome post.
My brother recommended I might like this web site.
He was entirely right. This post actually made my day.
You cann’t imagine simply how much time I had spent for
this info! Thanks!
Have you ever thought about creating an e-book or guest authoring on other sites? I have a blog centered on the same subjects you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my subscribers would value your work. If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to send me an email
Everyone loves it when people come together
and share ideas. Great website, keep it up!
Which superpower would you like to have? (Multiple choice)
Dude, Mike Murray… You are living my dream, man. If I could and had all the money in the world, I would love to just jump in my car and drive drive and drive for just siteseeing… Thank you for your awesome blog posts.
Hello! It looks very interesting, great post, thanks. I used to play paintball a lot myself. But now is the time that you need to spend a lot of time at home. During a pandemic, it is important not to stop and sit still, but to study something, read, write articles or blogs. I recommend a useful resource in my profile with very sensitive material that requires due attention, which will be relevant to you, go ahead and study the pros and cons of gun control, and think for yourself over this issue and the problem in general. Good luck to everyone and health!
I love what you wrote here
Thanks-a-mundo for the post.Really looking forward to read more. Really Great.
good article! to covid Covid-19, of course, did not affect the travel plan, I buy insurance ttps://ekta.insure/
Thank you! very interesting information. i have a young daughter who really wanted to learn how to ski.
Thanks for finally talking about > Okemo and Stowe and the Vail Effect | My Family Travels < Liked it!
Very informative and interesting article. Well done!!
I am also a travel blogger, my website is http://www.travelsimplygo.com
Hello, I read your blog daily. Your story-telling style is awesome, keep it up!
Enjoyed every bit of your blog article. Much obliged. Yoshiko Wyrick
There is certainly a great deal to learn about this topic. I like all of the points you have made. Lynett Adams Berne
Thank you so much for doing the job here, everyone will certainly like your post.
Best regards,
Lunding Zacho
Great article.
Great info. Cheers.
very useful and interesting information. every year we flew with my family to Norway to ski. but this year we are staying at home.(
thanks for this wonderful post! it is magical)
Wow…really amazing blog.
I really like the way you describe the post..
Nice post.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience with us. Loved your blog!
I appreciate you sharing this blog article. Really thank you! Keep writing.
I appreciate you sharing this blog article. Really thank you! Keep writing……………..
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience with us. Loved your blog!….
Nice post.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience with us. Loved your blog!
First-class article it is really. My father has been searching for this info. Dotty Ernie Coltson
Really nice post!
What a wonderfull blog !
Hey guys!What could be a better way to prepare ourselves for the upcoming travel plans with some music companions for our trips later.Lets boost our trips with some awesome singalong memories together!
Found this awesome playlist to share the love around.Have a great and wonderful day ahead!
I appreciate you sharing this blog article. Really thank you! Keep writing. Jsandye Caesar Joli
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you penning this article plus the rest of the site is really good. Gretta Araldo Riana
I have included this write-up to my bookmarks
Terrific article
I agree with you
there are a lot of really good hotels and resorts in Playa del Carmen
Lot of good material here keep up the good work
Lot of good material here keep up the good work
Wow…really amazing blog.
I really like the way you describe the post..
Nice post.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience with us. Loved your blog!
world is changing
Thanks for finally writing about > Haunted Houses for Kids And Halloween Weekend Breaks < Liked it!
Great article! We will be linking to this great article on our website. Keep up the great writing.
Have you ever wanted to travel and work abroad?contact us today and we just might make that happen
Whatsapp:+1(845)243-3187
Great read!
My subscribers on Twitter would really like this post. Is it okay if I link it to them?
Hello to everybody,
First of all let me introduce myself: my name is Daniele Baraldi and I work for Top Service, a Company that deals with travels and products conceived for families with kids.
I would like to bring to your attention a new concept of traveling. A virtual interactive tour upon many different locations that children can follow comfortably from home for those families who want to offer their kids the opportunity to explore their origins directly live from their sofa by interacting with a kid-friendly guide.
This new product, built up in a playful and educational way, is a new and entertaining one that can surely raise an interest in your community.
I really hope we will soon get in touch for a trial.
Look forward to hearing from you soon. erbaralds (at) gmail.com
thank you,
Best regards.
Wow…really amazing blog.
I really like the way you describe the post..